By the time he arrived in Calcutta in the late 1820s, George Harris was a trained hairdresser, who, like many coiffeurs, felt a French name would suit him better, and he became Derusett. Business was not good and he was reported as 'a Barber and Hair dresser who was glad to cut any person's hair for one Rupee'. He travelled up country to Lucknow, probably in the winter of 1830/31 'to look for any sort of employment that he could obtain'. Dr. Stevenson, the Company doctor, who was there during this period, said George happened one day to cut the Resident's hair — that the King heard of this, and immediately asked the Resident whether Mr. Derusett was an expert hair dresser and that upon being told that he was so, HM [His Majesty] immediately applied to have him in his own service.
By July 1831, George was already a favourite with the King, and successfully solicited a job at Court for his brother William, also a hair-dresser. Both men are listed as Attendants to the King in Company records, on the official salary of Rs 300 per month, although their pre-requisites were many times more. After William's premature death in January 1834, George lived in the Dilaram Kothi, an English-style house on the north bank of the Gomti, but exactly opposite the King's palace of Farhat Baksh, and joined to it by a bridge of boats.
George was in charge of all His Majesty's pleasure boats, budjerows, pinnaces etc. all most beautifully fitted up, some with richly coloured silken sails etc. and all the bridges crossing the River. During the winter of 1835 he supervised the fitting up of a second-hand pinnace, re-named Sultan of Oude 'and grander than anything ever seen before on the waters of the Gomti. The King ordered me to convert her into a three masted vessel, and to give her as much the appearance of a ship, (sails and all) as possible, to have 16 or 18 Guns, to spare no expense in fitting her up in the handsomest manner ...'. The Cash Book records expenditure for lengths of orange coloured velvet. 78 feet of teak for the deck and Shower Bath, mahogany for the window sashes, and a ship's rig complete with mast, sail and 6 oars. Also included were 4 dozen bottles of brandy and a pair of decanters, for the King was determined to be as English as possible. A splendid awning with a gold fringe shaded the throne, itself embroidered with 104 tolas of gold thread.
Another appointment was that of 'Master of the Royal Robes (European)'. On first examining the Poshawk-khana or Wardrobe, it was found that several of the King's coats had been sporting, unwittingly, the crested gilt buttons of the East India Company, "I soon altered this state of things" George wrote. Following instructions provided by Mr. Nuthall, a Calcutta tailor, the King was carefully measured (by George) and European jackets and breeches made. His Majesty was so delighted with his new style of dress that he would not allow any person else to measure him. Expenditure for the tailor's shop included Embroidery Bows and Buttons for a figured silk coat and a pair ditto Breeches for H.M. — Rs 11.14: a Blue Velvet Robe Contg 4019 [tolas] of Gold — Rs 2.511.14 and 22 Large Splendid Gold Tassels for two Embroidery Coronation Robes, 909 tolas. There are entries for Steel Wire and Silk for repairg H.M. Crowns — Rs 2, and a bulk purchase of 15 pairs of leather shoes at Rs 75.
A rare picture of domestic life inside the palace emerges, where George was employed as Superintendant. The public rooms were clearly English in appearance, with their chintz tablecloths and chintz furnishings (provided by George). Because the King was fearful of being poisoned by supporters of a putative heir (a fear which was fully justified), George superintended the kitchen, checking and sealing with wax the bottles of wine, champagne and spirits sent up from Calcutta. He oversaw the King's French chef. Francis Ribeaut, and bought provisions in bulk.
